14 Hours In A Plane

India Day 8

 I’m getting shrined out.  And templed out.  And bazaared out.  There’s just so many things a body can SEE, ya know?  I need to be blindfolded for a few days just so I can process all this, but, alas there is still more to “see” and at, of all places, the Palace Observatory.

 Here is where the ingenious Maharaja of Rajasthan devised elaborate structures to tell time and read the stars.  Talk about “pinpoint accuracy”!  He built these massive structures that allowed him to tell, by how the shadows fell on them, what time it was and how all the constellations lined up.

 Mr. Singh told us that the stars and how the constellations lined up the moment you were born (i.e. your horoscope) was really important in determining who you could marry.  And this is still the case in India.  If a couple had  incompatible signs, no wedding.  No Capricorns were allowed to marry Leos.  No Tauruses for  Libras, for instance.  Now I finally understand  why there was a “house astrologer” in all our hotels. 

 Here is yet another pic of Mr. Singh, in his ubiquitous jodhpurs, ascot, and his groovy little hat:

 

And here is me in the Capricorn alcove:

 

And, as we were leaving the Observatory, we passed this:

 Really, what trip to India would be complete without a Snake Charmer?  That was a real cobra too.

 Gotta love Rajasthan.  And especially saying the word “Rajasthan.”  But even though Rajasthan is a very cool word to say, my new favorite word is “Maharaja”.  Raja means king and Maha means Great. So “Maharaja” means The Great King.  The Great Queen is a “Maharani.”  And they still exist.   I love to say the word “Maharaja”.  It’s so Arabian Nights (even though that’s Persian.)

 And then it was back on the bus and to lunch at the Jaipur Polo Club.  As we drove through the gates, we saw these babies all lined up to greet us.

 And this bagpipe band struck up a wheezy little number.

 

And then we were escorted up to the viewing stands where we were served drinks and hors d’oeuvres while the elephants prepared for the match.  But the best part was: we got to play polo on them!  There was an announcer on a P.A. system doing play-by-play and everything.  Once again, I ask: “Who are we?? 

 This is G on the front elephant, wearing a yellow shirt as she gets ready to score.  And she did!  Yay G!

 And here I am on my elephant, just loving it!

 

And then loving it more!

 
After the match, we ate lunch and then returned to the Palace to rest for dinner.

 And truthfully, I don’t know how much more of this I can take.